Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Senator Hoey rightly said this is something the Seanad should not allow. I would go further and say to the Minister that this is something the Seanad must not allow and the Minister should not allow it either. As Senator Gavan said, they have the opportunity here to do the right thing. I understand the difficulties people have in terms of adhering to a party Whip, a Government Whip or whatever it may be. However, this Seanad works best, and in my experience the previous Seanad worked best, when we work on a collaborative basis and come together around fundamental issues of importance such as the safety, primarily but not exclusively, of women. There was an example in this term and in this Chamber when Senator Higgins tabled a motion on an Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, TRIPS, waiver and the Government tabled a counter-motion. However, two Government Senators rose to indicate they could not support that counter-motion. Therefore, it can be done. In instances like this, we are all agreed that it should be done and must be done.

Even at this late stage, I ask the Minister to reflect on this Bill and what it does not do. I again respectfully appeal to colleagues on the Government side of the House to do the right thing, to reflect on what they said, and to reflect on stances they or their colleagues have taken in the past in this House. I do not think it will be for anyone on the Opposition benches to glorify or to harangue people into doing that. We have an opportunity here to do the right thing. What is the point of the Seanad if we cannot do the right thing on an issue of such fundamental importance? It is not too late to do it.